Here for You
by heartforhumanity845
Summary: When Willow comes home with a project from school that forces Branch to delve into a past he wanted so desperately to forget, things are bound to get emotional. Can he finally find peace within himself for what has passed, or is he doomed to wallow in this pain forever? Obvious Broppy and hints of fluff here and there. Rating may change with future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

The ink across the coarse sheet of parchment paper seemed to spread like wildfire with each stroke of the fine-tipped point, scribbling note after note of plans for weeks to come. The writer, it seemed, had become particularly flustered at how unorganized it all seemed. Usually, ideas would come to her head as easily as the ocean rolling up onto the shore, but for some reason the tide had pulled out today indefinitely.

Her ears and cheeks were on fire from the concentration, and in a quick movement just moments ago, she had opened one of the windows in her office to allow the outside breeze to circulate through the stuffy quarters. She never did truly care for this part of the royal pod. It reminded her of her duties as Queen, and although she would always carry them out diligently and without fail, it never warranted much favor with her in terms of amusement. She would much rather be in the company of her family or friends, for she knew that with them, there never truly was a dull moment.

As if on cue, Poppy heard the pitter-patter of footsteps echoing closer and closer to the door, and she looked up in anticipation. The door swung open, and the space created appeared vacant. She furrowed her brow.

"Hello? You can come in!" She called out in a clear, welcoming tone. No answer. "Hello?" She called again.

However, she turned her gaze to the front edge of her desk, where a tuft of ultraviolet blue hair had appeared front of her. The small curl at its peak bobbed in the breeze, and she released an amused chuckle. Leaning forward across the desk, she met the eyes of her daughter and beamed.

"Hi, sweetheart." Poppy mused happily.

"Hi, Mommy!" The little girl bubbled back, bouncing around the desk and wasting no time in climbing up into her lap. Poppy obliged, opening her arms and allowing the tiny troll to nestle herself on her legs and front torso before wrapping her arms delicately around her petite body.

"Aren't you supposed to be in school?" The Queen asked, brushing aside the girl's bangs and giving her a kiss on the temple. She was very warm to the touch, a trait that was normal amongst trollings.

"We had early release today! Miss Wormwood gave us a project!" She responded.

"Oh? And what kind of project?" Poppy asked, continuing to run her hand along her daughter's messy locks. The child had quite the head of hair for a girl her age, and so vibrant. It was absolutely no challenge to ever pick out Willow from a crowd, making things a million times easier for Branch and herself. The little girl turned to respond, but another visitor entered without so much as a knock.

"Your Highness." River, a village council member, burst into the room with a bit of urgency. Both trolls looked up and he immediately stopped in his tracks. "Oh, I'm sorry. Am I interrupting something?"

"Not at all, River. Come in." Poppy insisted, beckoning him over. She did not remove Willow from her lap, however, and the little girl began to busy herself with the little knick-knacks that Poppy had strewn across the surface of her desk. She barely paid any attention to the conversation the two adults were having until she jumped a little at her mother's raised voice.

"You mean to tell me that you _lost_ the blueprints?" The Queen sounded rather agitated, and it made the little girl uneasy as she felt the vibration of her voice against her back.

"It was an honest mistake, Queen Poppy. Some of the boys, they were horsing around and it fell into the brook." River explained.

"Why don't you-!" Poppy began, but quickly cut herself off as she heard a whimper from beneath her chin. She looked down into the worried face of her child, and she immediately lost all agitation in her body. She sighed, closing her eyes for a moment to collect herself. Then she regained her eye contact with the blue and silver troll.

"Just…..come back tomorrow and we'll have fresh copies for you." She said softly, snaking an arm around her daughter again and beginning to rock her a bit to soothe her. River nodded.

"Will do, Your Majesty." He conferred, slipping from the room with haste. Poppy turned the entirety of her attention back to her kin, who stared up at her with a still somewhat apprehensive look in her eye.

"I'm sorry I scared you, sweetie. Mommy can get a bit stressed out about all of this." Poppy apologized, resting her cheek atop the child's head and hugging her close. Willow returned the embrace, the side of her face smushed between Poppy's chin and chest.

"It's okay, Mommy." She muttered. The Queen pulled away, offering a soft, sweet smile.

"Now let's go find Daddy, okay? He should be home by now." The small blue troll nodded, allowing Poppy to sling her up onto her hip and carry her out of the office. She shut the door behind her, beginning her walk down the hallway and through the final door to the administrative part of the royal pod. She felt the weight immediately lift from her shoulders the moment she shut that door, and with another sweet smile at her daughter the two ventured forth into their home.

Poppy eyed the jacket hanging on the coat rack near the front door, and she knew her husband had indeed returned home for the evening. The smell of boiling pasta soon filled her nostrils, and she smiled. Though they tried to split the work evenly, Poppy knew for a fact that when her husband chose to cook, it never disappointed. Branch had quite a knack for it, even though he always humbly denied it and deemed Poppy the skilled one of the household.

"Daddy!" Willow cried, and Poppy scarcely could allow her arms free before the little girl bounced from her and over to the love of her life, who had stopped stirring the pot on the stove for a moment and beamed down at their little girl. She collided into his legs, hugging them tightly and giggling with her face upturned at an almost ninety-degree angle to look at him. Her eyes sparkled brightly in the sunlight that poured in through the small window above the kitchen sink, the pure white linen curtains billowing softly.

"Hey, twig." Branch mused lovingly, running a hand from her bangs to the base of her head and stroking her cheek with his thumb. Willow giggled loudly at the contact, squirming in her spot. Poppy smiled at the scene, her heart soaring at the look of pure adoration on her husband's face.

"Somebody got to come home early from school today." Poppy spoke up, and Branch temporarily tore his gaze away from his child and up at her. The two shared a brief smile together before Willow's high-pitched voice interrupted once more.

"Yeah, Daddy! And we got a project to do!" She shrieked.

"Really?" Branch replied with exaggerated excitement, making Poppy snort in amusement. The little girl couldn't bob her head up and down fast enough.

"Uh huh! And you and Mommy get to help!" She informed him.

"Well, that's great, twig. What is it?" Branch asked, the smile permanently spread across his face as he watched his daughter's face falter for a moment in thought.

"It's in my backpack. Be right back!" The little girl tore herself away from her father and scampered away back in the direction of Poppy's office, her little legs staggering beneath her. Branch gave another chuckle as he watched her run away, and the Queen took the liberty to saunter over to him in their daughter's absence.

"Must be something good. She rarely shows _that_ much excitement about schoolwork." Branch hypothesized as Poppy drew near, running a hand from his stomach to his shoulder, squeezing at it gently as she brushed her lips against his cheek.

"Hm." She responded quietly, applying more pressure from her lips once reaching the warm curve of his cheekbone.

"You think it's another volcano? I don't think I could take making another one of those things. Last time, I'm pretty sure we almost blew up the living room."

"Hm." At the sound of her repetitive answer, Branch turned into his wife ever so slightly.

"You're not listening to anything I'm saying, are you?" He mumbled. She giggled, shaking her head.

"Not a word." She uttered back, shifting her head just millimeters downwards and pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth. His eyes made a roll around his sockets dramatically.

"Figures. Paying attention has never been a strong suit of yours." He playfully criticized, and to his delight, the taunting worked. She yanked herself away, looking into his eyes with an equally as playful look of irritation.

"I'm sorry. I don't recall asking for your opinion on that." She retorted, placing a hand on her hip.

"Don't need it. I reserve the right to mock you." He teased on a voice that spiked her carnal interest, but before she could respond to the bold declaration, their daughter had once again appeared on the scene, and with reluctance the two pushed apart enough to make it appear as if they hadn't just been all over one another.

"Here it is!" Willow cried, waving the bright floral folder around in her hand. Poppy laughed at her as Branch turned back to the cooking pasta on the stove. The little girl scrambled to hoist herself up onto one of the tall chairs at the island in the center of the room, earning her another laugh from her mother.

"Hold on there, eager mcbeaver." Poppy ordered, coming behind the tiny troll and hooking both hands in her armpits to help her the rest of the way up. Willow plopped down in the seat promptly upon contact, slapping the folder down and opening it up. Inside was a large diagram of a tree, with many branches and leaves spread out across the entire page. It was arranged in such a way to where there was a clear flow all the way down to the trunk.

"It's a family tree!" Willow exclaimed.

The clatter of a kitchen utensil made Poppy's gaze snap up to look at her husband. He had stopped stirring the pot again, his posture stiff and his eyes locked straight forward. His ear twitched gently in their direction, and the Queen could feel the atmosphere change. However, their little girl was oblivious to her father's distress.

"Miss Wormwood said that it's for Heritage Day. We're going to put them up in the hallway!" She continued. Though she gave a glance to her daughter every now and again to show she was listening, Poppy kept a watchful gaze on Branch as their daughter spoke. He did not move a muscle save for a small tilt to the side to listen better. It was no decision at all in her mind on what she needed to do next.

"That's really something, sweetie. Why don't we start with my side, okay?" Poppy explained gently and in a tone that would not spark any sort of alarm in the little girl. Through her peripherals, the young Queen eyed her husband's rigid shift in movement as he turned to the cupboards to begin setting the table.

For several minutes, Poppy filled Willow in on her parents, Peppy and Petunia, explaining everything that she could about her side of the family to the little girl. Meanwhile, Branch had finished setting up the table and was now serving dinner quietly to the two female trolls. It wasn't long before they sat down to eat together, the lively chatter still prominent between the mother and her daughter. However, the moment the Queen had dreaded came before she could prevent it. Willow had turned her head to Branch, her big eyes looking at him in curiosity.

"Daddy?" She asked as respectively as she could.

"Yeah?" Branch replied blankly, not looking up from his plate. Poppy's grip on her fork tightened. She did not like the tone he had taken on.

"What about your family?"

The room took on yet another strange atmosphere as the dreaded inquiry was now thrust into the open. Though she had tried her best to combat it, Queen Poppy should have known better than to challenge her daughter's inquisitive nature. It was quite a prominent personality trait for the tiny troll, something that was usually celebrated and supported quite passionately by Branch and herself. However, observing the conflicted gleam in her love's blue gaze only confirmed that now was not to be one of those times. Branch had only slackened in posture by the most miniscule amount, his eyes remaining on his daughter as he inhaled to speak.

"Willow, I think you should just turn in that paper like it is and tell Miss Wormwood you don't know anything about my side." The statement was quite a desperate plea in nature, as if he knew that any other approach would make it appear as though it was Willow's fault that he had such strong feelings about his own family and past.

"But I want to know!" Willow claimed, starting to realize her father's discomfort on what she was asking. He shook his head, closing his eyes for a moment to pinch the bridge of his nose.

"Willow, please don't…" He pleaded for her to stop, hoping that with her decent track record, the tiny girl would do as she was told. To his irritation, she persisted.

"Daddy, I just want to know their names for my paper!" Willow begged, trying to make it sound as painless as possible.

"I SAID DON'T." She jumped at the bite in his response, a volume that she had never heard out of him in her entire time of being alive, even if it was miniscule. Her magenta eyes were wide with shock as Poppy glanced between them both worriedly, giving a particular look of absolute sympathy at her child's crushed expression. Branch hung his head and sighed, resting his forehead on a propped-up hand. Several moments of dead silence passed, then the young troll slowly pushed herself from her chair and landed gently on the ground. She sheepishly turned to her father again, twiddling her fingers in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, Daddy. I didn't mean to upset you." Her voice was small, almost whimpering in nature. As if anything she said would set him off. At the empty response she received, she looked between her parents before speaking again. "I think I'll go to bed now."

Poppy had remained frozen during the entire exchange, and it was only with the disappearance of her daughter around the corner that her stoic demeanor fell and she glared at her husband. He rose from his seat to collect the dirty dishes, not making eye contact with her.

"She was just asking a question, Branch." Poppy seethed as she watched him gather everything up and start to carry it over.

"Poppy, please. Don't start with me. You know how I feel about this stuff." The King shifted uncomfortably as he began to place his dishes in the sink. He did not need any sort of special gift to know that his wife was boring two gigantic holes in his back with the simple heat of her hard glare.

"Yes, I do. But _she_ doesn't." Poppy had raised her voice now, jabbing a finger in the direction of which Willow had sulked off to. It was with this that he finally met her eyes, however much they felt like daggers into his soul. "There was absolutely no need to yell at her."

"You don't think I know that? She's entirely too pushy sometimes, Poppy, and you know it." He yelled back. He had shoved himself closer to her in their fit of yelling. It was not often that the King and Queen fought, but they gave it their all when the mood struck them right.

"You're just mad because she's asking you something that none of us have had the guts to." She snapped. Branch blinked a few times, his eyebrows furrowing together.

"What are you talking about?" He muttered.

"You haven't exactly told _me_ anything about your parents either." Poppy reminded him on a shaky voice. He could tell she was upset for having to explain any further on a pain that had obviously been plaguing her for quite some time. But, once again, his mouth took on a persona of its own.

"And I think we should keep it that way." He replied before he could stop himself.

"You're not the only who's lost someone, Branch. Stop acting like you're special." The Queen shrieked, her face beginning to darken in color at the blood rushing to her cheeks and neck. Branch ignored the obvious jab at his pride and instead began to run with it.

"Maybe not, but that doesn't mean I want to talk about it." He answered.

"Ugh, you're such a drama queen!" The pink troll declared, throwing her hands in the air.

"King." Branch corrected, trying to make a joke and lighten the mood. As much as he wanted to, he knew that an argument with Poppy was futile and would only make both of them retire to bed fuming. However, his wife seemed to be past the point of no return and ignored his attempt to soften things up.

"I meant what I said." She replied flatly, turning on her heel and beginning to step away.

"Where are _you_ going?" He called after her.

"To bed. Since it's obvious that neither Willow or I am getting anywhere with you tonight." The Queen replied with a snarky attitude, throwing her statement over her shoulder carelessly as she continued to distance herself from him.

Branch watched her go and let out a heavy sigh, feeling completely drained from the whole ordeal. He turned to look out the window into the fading light. Daytime was becoming more and more scarce as they began marching into the fall and winter months.

The old wounds in his heart began to burn with fresh agony within, infecting his thoughts with feelings he had long since buried in his conscience. Though Branch had come a long way since his gray years, it seemed as if he still had some weight to carry. Even with his beloved wife and daughter, he could not bring himself to confide in them the last untold story he had held dear for so many years.

His parents.

 **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **Wow, I'm writing about a lot of fights between Branch and Poppy lately, aren't I? Lol**

 **So, this fic was personally inspired since I myself had to do a family tree diagram when I was in third grade. I thought the idea was a sad and intriguing one, since there is not a whole lot of exploration into the story of Branch's unseen and unmentioned parents. So, naturally, I decided to delve into it a little for myself, and this is the result.**

 **This story will most likely be no more than three chapters, so I hope you enjoyed the first installment. As for my other pending stories, fret not. They are in the works and I hope to have at least one new chapter up for one of them by Saturday.**

 **With that, I bid you adieu and good night. Until next time!**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Heartforhumanity845**


	2. Chapter 2

The steam from the cup of frothing liquid lifted into the cool air of the morning with a grace that was almost like that of a ghost. He watched it dutifully as he sat on the front porch, looking out over the serenity of the impending day. Sunlight broke through the canvas of vegetation, illuminating its thin surface the most pleasant emerald. The same could be said about the grass beneath him, each blade seemingly flawless in the sun's welcoming beams. It was all of this that he chose to focus on, to put all of his energy and concentration into. He could not bring himself to ponder on what had transpired just hours before.

The small rhythm of footsteps could be heard inching its way closer to him, and before he could so much as look up, his child had come through the front door with her backpack dangling low on her tiny body, almost dragging the ground. He looked at her for a moment, his expression pained and sorrowful. She offered him a bitter smile, not saying a word as his wife also came into view, placing both hands on either girl's shoulder.

"Have a good day at school, sweetheart." Poppy mused gently, leaning down and giving the girl a kiss on the temple.

"Okay, Mommy." Willow dutifully agreed, taking one last look at Branch before bouncing her way down the steps and starting her journey towards the schoolhouse.

A twinge of searing pain pierced his heart. It had been the first time in her entire existence that Willow had not thrown her arms around him to hug him goodbye as well. It only added to his embittered feelings that were manifesting inside.

He had taken the liberty to look upon his Queen again, who just gave him raised eyebrows in response and then turned on her heel to venture back inside. He sighed, slouching further into his seat and returning his attention back to the scenery in front of him.

It had been the absolute longest day of his life. Lonelier than he had ever remembered it being when he was gray and living on his own in his bunker. Poppy refused to say a word to him, and every interaction they had throughout the day was cold, abrupt, and quick. She had made a point to be on whichever end of the pod he was not, and it was beginning to drive him mad.

But how could he possibly begin to tell them? This story was one that was not light-hearted or had a joyous ending. He knew his bright, joyful troll of a wife could not take such a story, no matter what she insisted on telling him. There were entirely too many things about him that would instigate a feeling of sadness in his house, and he could not bring such a weight upon his wife and daughter. He had to protect them from such thoughts. It was enough that _he_ had suffered at their hands.

So, with just as much stubbornness, Branch also forced himself to ignore Poppy. They went about their daily tasks without ever questioning for help once. And before too long, late afternoon had rolled around and Willow would be due to be home any second.

Dinner that night was equally as frigid, with almost little to no eye contact between any of them, especially Willow and Branch. Poppy had prepared a simple meal of soup and grilled cheese, trying to cater to their little girl since it was her favorite.

Without so much as another word, Willow finished her meal and got up to place her own dishes in the sink, disappearing down the hallway. Poppy also stood up to collect herself and move to the other side of the room. The particularly loud clatter of porcelain as she did so indicated to Branch that she was still very much at odds with him.

He was just beginning to start towards the bedroom a little later when very soft conversation caught his sensitive hearing, and very quietly he padded towards the doorway to his daughter's room. He heard the shift of two separate bodies within, and honed his hearing closer to catch a snippet of the words being said.

"Why did he get so upset, Mommy?" Willow's tiny squeak of a question made his heart wrench, and it only continued as he heard his mate sigh in immediate response.

"I don't know, honey. Grown-ups can be so confusing sometimes. Just love and forgive him, okay? Your daddy has been through a lot."

It shook him to his core. Despite having ignored him all day, Poppy had still rose to his defense when all was said and done. The guilt from his outburst ate away at him even more, like a ravenous hyena on a deer carcass. However, his brooding didn't last for but a few minutes before he heard his Queen arise from her spot at Willow's bedside and give the little girl an audible kiss on the forehead.

"Good night, sweetheart. Sweet dreams."

He could not move, allowing himself to be spotted by her as she exited the room. Her eyes narrowed a bit at the recognition of his presence, but she said nothing. Instead, she turned on her heel and continued down the hallway to their bedroom, and Branch knew if he did not speak up now, Poppy would change the subject faster than the blink of an eye.

"Poppy." He called out as he followed her to their room. The pink troll did not turn to even look at him, crossing the entire length of the room and reaching into her dresser for her nightgown.

"Poppy, please look at me."

With a huff, she bunched the material in her fists and slouched her shoulders, tilting her irritated gaze in his direction.

"What?" She snapped.

"I know you're mad. I know you don't want to talk, but I can't keep this up. Not with you and her." His ramblings fell on only half-listening ears as she looked him up and down a few times. As if he was a stranger. He sighed again, rubbing the back of his neck in frustration and embarrassment.

"I'm sorry I snapped. I'm just…not very good at controlling myself when… _they're_ mentioned." He forced out the words like they were laden with poison.

"Yeah, I noticed." Poppy's cool response only furthered his despair, and in desperation he stepped a bit closer and continued talking.

"I've never really talked about them and when she—"

"Branch."

His eyes immediately snapped to her, the expression she wore unreadable. It sent a chill through his body that he barely knew could be possible.

"I appreciate the effort on your part, but _I'm_ not the one you need to convince." She stepped a bit closer to him, still rigid but softening just slightly in the expression she portrayed in her eyes. Branch stared at her for a few moments, then gave yet another heavy sigh.

There was a long pause between them, and Branch felt his entire body quiver in surprise as Poppy closed the distance between them, wrapping one slender arm around his waist to pull him close and cupping the free hand to the side of his face. They locked eyes for a moment as she stroked his cheekbone tenderly.

"She deserves to know about her grandparents, Branch. And her great grandma." Her voice was now incredibly compassionate, her grudge melting away as she continued to observe her husband's genuinely concerned expression. She never could stay angry with him for very long. The calloused King closed his eyes, pressing his cheek further into her palm for solace.

"I know." He mumbled. She leaned forward and kissed the tip of his nose, making his eyes shoot open again to watch her.

"Just….try not to fly off the handle like that, okay? It scares her to death, you know." She informed him, a bit of bite returning to her statement as she said it. It gave Branch a secret sense of attraction to see Poppy's mama bear side, which only really showed itself when Willow was in any sort of distress. As it should be. It convinced him even further that he had found the near perfect mate.

"I know." He said again, and this time Poppy added nothing more. He pushed air through his closed lips for a moment, mentally steeling himself for the task at hand.

"Well, I guess I should go talk to her then, huh?" His voice was uneasy at the prospect, but a smile from Poppy melted it away. She gave a light jerk of her head back down the hall.

"She's waiting for you." A queer statement, but Branch brushed it off as he realized what she meant. Despite her distant behavior this morning, Willow still harbored hope that he would eventually open up to her. Little did the child know just how much he would.

Walking back down the hall and into his daughter's bedroom, the King found her bed to be vacant and the window open. He smirked to himself. He was both intrigued and terrified that his little girl took after him in so many ways. Sneaking off to secret locations was one of them.

Putting one foot on the window sill, he hoisted himself up onto the soft roof of the royal pod, clawing at the petals to keep his grip there as his weight shifted onto its sloping surface. The moonlight was bright enough to aid him in his skimming for any sign of his kin, and he suddenly knew exactly where she had wandered to.

Padding along carefully, he rounded the center stem of the pod, which was thick enough to conceal a troll from view, and to his satisfaction that is exactly what he found as he rounded the last of it. The tiny troll gave a shriek as she laid eyes on him, scrambling backwards into the stem and pressing herself against it desperately. However, registration streaked across her face and she relaxed only slightly, her eyebrows knit in worry.

"H-How'd you find me here?" Willow stammered. Branch chuckled softly.

"Did you really think I wouldn't figure it out?" He asked. This made the little girl shift uncomfortably in her spot, hugging her knees to her chest.

"You're not going to tell Mommy, are you?" She asked, genuinely concerned for the safety of her secret spot now. Branch shook his head, gently taking up a spot next to her.

"No. This can be our little secret." He assured her. She only relaxed a little at this knowledge, her gaze returning to the stars glittering above them. Branch watched her for a moment, taking in the uncanny resemblance she held with Poppy. True, she had his color scheme and ears, but it was her face and eyes that completely amazed him. Genetics were a fascinating thing, though he barely delved into that subject much longer as his eyes fell to the roof for a moment.

"Willow, I…..I need to apologize to you. I shouldn't have yelled at you last night. You didn't deserve that. You don't ever deserve that from me." He blurted out without so much as stopping to breathe, knowing that if he did it would make it so much more painful to express. He watched his daughter's ear twitch in his direction at his words, another cute little trait she had picked up from him. Trolls ears weren't exactly docile, but they both were somehow able to move them quite a bit more than the average troll. Her sweet little voice broke him out of his trance.

"It's okay, Daddy. I know you don't like to talk about it." He was shocked. It was no secret that Willow was smarter than most kids her age, but to have her pick up on his discomfort without him even mentioning it…it was haunting. "I just thought…maybe this time would be different….."

He immediately inched himself closer, putting a finger under her chin and tilting her face up to look him. in the eye. His eyes were steady and determined.

"It will be different. I promise." He insisted, earning him a small consenting smile from his kin. He gave a small huff of surprise as she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. Automatically, he enveloped her in a return embrace just as tightly, his eyes squeezing shut. She was so tiny in his arms. He hoped with everything he had that she would grow into her normal size as time went on. There had been so much talk in the village when she was first born…how she would be a runt for the rest of her life. It infuriated him deeply and it took Poppy multiples talk-downs to calm him when he overheard such rabble. He loved her so much….

Pulling away just enough so they could lock eyes again, he smiled.

"So. How would you like to go on a trip with me tomorrow?" He asked, making her jump up in surprise.

"Really? Tomorrow?" Her voice sounded hopeful at first, but it faltered as she remembered something. "But I have school…"

"I'm sure one day won't hurt anything." Branch insisted, making her interest peak as she smiled.

"Where are we going?" She asked eagerly, her bright pink eyes wide and shining with excitement. He chuckled, getting to his feet.

"Somewhere special. You, Mommy, and I. Just the three of us." He stated, making her bounce up and down in response.

"Yay!" She screamed, throwing her arms around his legs and hugging him yet again. She had learned from a master on how to give the best hugs, and it warmed his heart. Chuckling yet again, he hugged back with one arm and began to speak again.

"Alright, twig. Now I think it's time you get to bed before Mommy catches us both out here." He insisted, and she nodded.

"Okay, Daddy."

With that, father and daughter ventured back in the direction of which they had come, both reeling in anticipation for the day ahead tomorrow.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Alright, I know it took me forever and a day to update this story, but here you have it! The second of three chapters! The final one is going to be emotional, so be prepared! Until then, my dear readers!**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Heartforhumanity845**


	3. Chapter 3

"Da-ad! Are we almost _there?_ "

The three trolls had managed to venture their way to just beyond the root tunnels, and the royal couple's restless child was beginning to become antsy as the amount of time the journey was taking them. Branch chuckled as Poppy swung their intertwined hands back and forth amidst their walking. Willow was trailing them by a few feet, slouching considerably in exasperation.

"I thought you said you _wanted_ to go on an adventure, twig." Branch reminded his kin with a yell over his shoulder. He could practically feel the little girl's eyes roll in her skull.

"I do, but this one's taking too long!" She admitted. By the time she had said this, the two adult trolls has slowed considerably to allow her to catch up, and once she had, Poppy placed a hand on Willow's back and gave a few comforting rubs.

"It's alright, Willow, we're going to have plenty of time to rest once we get there." She assured the tiny troll, but no sooner had to words escaped her lips that her daughter was up and across the way several feet in front of them.

"Oooooohhh! Wildflowers!" She cried out into the echo of the receding forest, and as the several circular openings to the tunnels came into view, Poppy took the liberty to look upon her mate with an air of concern.

"Branch, where are you really taking us?" She asked softly. Despite the fact that she was young, Willow did inherit her father's sharp hearing and would have caught anything that was above a whisper. Branch sighed.

"I told you, you'll understand when you see it." He repeated, giving her hand a gentle squeeze as the made their way to the only root tunnel that really mattered.

Darkness enveloped their forms and the only sound was Willow's excited squealing and laughter bouncing around like noise in a tin can. After a few failed swipes inside his backpack, the King finally produced a firefly jar for light, holding it up with one hand. The three were silent for the remainder of the journey through the dark, damp tunnel, and it was only when they spotted light pouring from ahead that they chose to speak again.

The clear blue sky nearly blinded them as they climbed into the wide open space at the very center of the Troll tree. King Gristle and Bridget had spent many months following their omission of Trollstice sprucing up the tree, giving it a sense of sanctuary and peace. The iron fence that had once surrounded it was rebuilt only to add to that sense of seclusion, and often Trolls would venture here to relax. However, as the family made their way closer to their destination, Branch was feeling anything but relaxation.

He kept his head about him, for he knew that out of the three of them, he was the only one who had any tangible memories of living here. Poppy was far too young when they had escaped, and chances of her recalling anything of value to her life would be slim to none. However, with a few final hoists up into the branches and past a few more obstacles, the sound of her voice was soft and emotional in his right ear, and he gently placed his daughter onto the limb they stood on.

"Branch…." She mumbled, her pink eyes wide with amazement. Her recollection was faint, but she could pinpoint various conversations with her blue mate describing his childhood home. Several feet away, it stood. Ominous and dark, completely vacant of all life and exuberance. The Queen felt a hand on her shoulder, and for a brief moment her eyes met his. They were determined, a sense of melancholy sloshing around behind his glassy pupils.

"Stay here." He more-or-less ordered her before turning to his kin, who had begun humming to herself and twirling about in circles.

"Willow?" His voice made her ears twitch in his direction, and she turned to face him. He made a beckoning motion with his hand. "Come on, twig. I have something to show you." She bounded over to him and he placed a hand on the back of her head to guide her along. Poppy busied herself by setting up the picnic with Branch's backpack that he had discarded for her.

Father and daughter walked in silence for a moment, but Branch could see his child's darting gaze our of the corner of his eye, her hair shifting about on his fingertips as he kept his hand steady there.

"Daddy? What is this place?" Branch observed her wistful, confused expression as her large pink eyes settled on him, her question a soft breeze on her lips. The sunlight was beginning to pour through in beams, casting bright yellow dots over both of them. He inhaled deeply, his eyes momentarily drifting to the vast space before them.

"Somewhere….very special to me." He answered. Once again out of the corner of his eye, he watched his little girl tilt her head to the side curiously, her peak of midnight sapphire locks shifting along with it. He had to admit, it was hard to feel sad when his little ray of sunshine was around. She had brought so much joy into his life. Such innocence….about to be shattered into a million pieces.

"Why?" She squeaked. He took a seat at the limb's edge that overlooked his home, opening up his right arm for her to scoot in. She obliged, resting her little head on his shoulder as he replied.

"This is where I lived when I was even younger than _you_." He informed her. He could also feel the curl of her lip in confusion and slight disenchantment.

"Really?" Her tone matched his assumption. "It looks so…empty." Empty, indeed. He had never thought of it that way. Like a graveyard to the ones lost…..he steeled himself to keep from breaking down at the thought.

"It wasn't always that way." He had taken on an air of mysterious agony. The young troll frowned.

"It wasn't?" Her eyebrows raised slightly in surprise, a trait that Branch had to coin as his own doing. Poppy and him had been (as one would expect) a heavy influence on the child, some of it admirable. Some, not so much.

"Nope. Believe it or not, I used to live here with your grandparents, great aunt, and great grandma." He informed her, at which the tiny Princess smiled big and gasped.

"Wow. I bet it was pretty crowded!" Willow bubbled. Branch shook his head.

"Not really. We made do." There was a pause, and for some reason the King's heartrate picked up. He knew that once he informed his daughter of this, everything would change. And he wasn't sure how she would take it. Taking another deep breath, he kept his gaze locked on the tiny curve of her knee.

"Willow, there's something that your mom and I haven't really told you. Something about our past as trolls." He felt her head shift away from him enough to look into his face, and a prickle of goosebumps washed over his skin at her fully attentive stare.

"What is it?" She squeaked, barely above a whisper. Branch inhaled deeply again, the hand farthest from Willow tightening its grip on the rough bark of the tree limb.

"You know our friends the Bergens?" He asked, as if he even had to ask. Being the Princess, Willow had accompanied Branch and Poppy on many trips into Bergen town, both for diplomacy and social company.

"Yeah." Her short answer prompted him to continue before he lost his confidence in the subject.

"Well, once upon a time, a few years back, they…..they weren't our friends at all. In fact, they….." He paused, his heart twinging at the sight of Willow's increased anticipation in this new development of information for her tiny brain. "They used to eat us."

Her face fell. Her shoulders slouched. Her tiny body seemed to hunch over in slight apprehension, her eyes as wide as dinner plates.

" _Eat_ us?"

 _Glistening rows of jagged teeth glared in the flash of lightning, the rain a torrential downpour upon their sickeningly pale purple skin. Their yellow eyes narrowed with malice as they closed in….._

"Yes, Willow. Eat us. They felt it was their only way of getting to be happy."

 _Perfect little morsel, don't you think?_

"I can't believe it…." The tiny blue troll mumbled, looking to her feet for a moment in thought.

 _NO! NOOOOOO!_

He gritted his teeth tightly at the screaming in his head. He turned to his little girl, his jaw immediately slackening as he noted her concerned expression. She was such a master at picking up body language, he truly wondered where she had gotten it from. "Willow, honey…..I hope you know that it's very difficult to talk about this. I haven't even told your mother most of this."

"I know, Daddy….I….I don't want you to think you _have_ to say this stuff…." Her lip curled into a slight pout, but not for the reason that one would usually associate such a facial gesture with.

" _No._ " He felt her jump at his sudden outburst. He remember what Poppy had told him, and quickly deflated. "….no. Willow, you're my daughter and you….you deserve to know."

She looked him over for a moment, sizing him up and taking in his body language to properly identify just how far she could go. With a new spring of confidence, she spoke.

"What were their names?"

Names. He had not thought of their names in years…..there was no need for them. They were gone, and somehow saying their names only put salt in the wound. He pushed himself internally. She needed to know.

"Their names were Forrest and Hazel." He said, his voice floating along on adoration.

"I like that name. Hazel…." Willow declared happily, pondering on it for a long moment as Branch chuckled.

"They would have loved your name too, twig." He said, giving her hair a nice ruffle as she perked up at the sound of those words.

"Really? You think so?" She piped.

"I know so." He assured his kin. "They both had a thing for tree names." If it wasn't already obvious. The little girl swung her legs fully up onto the tree limb, hugging her knees close and nestling her chin between them in peaked interest.

"What else did they love?" Her next question sent an onslaught of memories through his brain matter. Glimpses of his father standing out in the summer sunrise with a fresh cup of coffee. His mother dancing across the squares of sunlight on the living room floor. His grandma working tirelessly alongside his aunt in making his mother's leaf shawl. All of it an entire compilation of his earliest years. He blinked a few times before answering.

"The sunshine. The leaves on the Troll tree." He answered wistfully, keeping his eyes on the ground below as he continued. "I was very little, I….I barely remember anything else about either of them." That was a bold-faced lie. Thankfully, that was the only one he could possibly bring himself to use against her. Anything else would tear him apart.

"Daddy?" She asked quietly, afraid that any higher volume would cause something disastrous to take place.

"Yes, Willow?" He asked. Time to prep himself for what was next. His little girl was a curious thing, a questioner. Nothing escaped her field of curiosity, both a blessing and a curse to the royal couple. Now was not any different.

"…what happened to them?"

At that point, all reality ceased to exist. The King sifted through all of his memories of those times, those times where he was at the complete mercy of his parents and family.

Like a vision, each memory began to play through his mind.

 **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

" _Come here, Branch! Come here! That's right! Right to Momma!"_

 _Hazel's bright lavender gaze beamed at him with her slender arms outstretched. She had a pleasant blush to her face, and Branch looked between the other pairs of eyes watching him as he stumbled forward._

" _Sis, would you quit with that already? He already knows how to walk." A purple-skinned, dark green-haired female troll chided her sister and his mother scoffed._

" _Nonsense. Encouragement is never a bad thing." She answered promptly, catching her growing boy into her soft palms and spreading her mouth wide into a grin. "Isn't that right, Branch?" Her tone had become that mushy, high-pitched garble that only children seemed to love. He gave a small giggle as she nuzzled noses with him. "Of course it is!"_

" _Hazel, you're coddling our son again." The female troll turned to her mate with a wide smile, his sapphire locks aglow in the setting sun as he made his way over to them._

" _Hm, I think I have a right to coddle." She joked, her amused smile turning sly as he neared her. In an instant, the two shared a gentle but loving kiss._

" _Hazel! Olive! Forrest!" Branch's grandma called for her two daughters and son-in-law just beyond their pod, and all heads turned to the sound of her voice. The troll emerged with a dish towel being tossed between her hands, and she gave a sigh of relief._

" _Ah,_ _ **there**_ _you are! I was beginning to think you had wandered off for more scavenging." Rosiepuff declared._

" _No, I think we'll have enough for the rest of the week. Besides, Bergens have been especially active lately. Can't risk going too far." Forrest declared, slipping an arm around his wife's waist as they stood there._

" _Well, come on inside. Supper's almost ready."_

 _Branch looked up into the shining openings of fading sunlight, the breeze making the leaves tremble ever so slightly._

 _ **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

 _ **Stay awake, don't rest your head**_

 _ **Don't lie down upon your bed**_

 _ **While the moon drifts in the skies**_

 _ **Stay awake**_

 _ **Don't close your eyes….**_

 _The dip and pull of the rocking chair lulled his tiny body into a stupor as Hazel cradled him close, singing his favorite lullaby after a particularly rough day. Her heartbeat was a thrumming constant in his left ear, making him give way even further to his own drowsiness. Just as he was drifting out of consciousness, the hum of her whisper tickled his hair._

" _Good night, my darling. Tomorrow will be a better day."_

 _ **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

" _Branch! Look here!"_

 _Forrest held tightly onto his son's hand, pointing towards the overhead branches as lanterns of all kinds hung amidst the tangles. It was one of their many holidays, a day where each troll hung a lantern to celebrate another year of safety for themselves and their families. He giggled in response._

" _Someday, when you're big enough, you can hang our family lantern up there." His father encouraged. Branch smiled at the prospect._

" _You really think so, Dad?" He asked._

" _I know so, bud. We're going to be together forever. Your mom, aunt, grandma, you, and me. Always." He assured, giving the toddler a ruffle atop his head._

 _ **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

 _He sat atop his little painted stool, watching his mother sway her hips about to the music and allowing her leafy shawl to rustle ever so gently. His father acclimated to her movements accordingly, kicking out his feet and hooking his thumbs in the waistband of his pants. Rosiepuff and Olive clapped joyfully in the corner, laughter booming and consistent._

 _The square dance was coming to an end, and with a dramatic bow, his parents ended their exchange and beamed to the three of their spectators._

" _I swear, you two are the only ones who will actively dance to that sort of thing." Olive pointed out, at which Hazel stuck out her tongue playfully._

" _You're just jealous that you don't have a partner to dance with." She joked._

" _Mating season is coming. I have a chance, you know. Especially because I've gotten a little more-!" Her returned optimism was abruptly shushed by her mother, who frowned with a finger firmly pressed to her lips._

" _Not in front of the little ears!" She scolded, getting up to cross the room and scoop Branch up into her arms._

" _Oh, you all love me!" The troll declared, giving a sassy cross of her arms and snub of her nose. "Besides, little Branchie boy isn't going to be a kid forever, you know."_

" _Well, let's not rush that idea, okay?" Forrest cut in quickly. The subject fizzled out from that point onwards and Grandma Rosiepuff carried Branch to bed, the amber glow of the firefly jars illuminating the hallway in spurts._

 _ **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

 _The floor was cool to his knees and palms, his head poking just enough outside the door to peer at the farewell party._

" _I don't like you two going to the outer edge….not this close to Trollstice…" His mother's voice was heavy with concern, her body unusually still._

" _It'll be alright, Haze. We've got our whistles if anything happens." His father reassured her gently. The two embraced tightly, pulling away to share a passionate but brief kiss._

" _Yeah, sis, don't worry about your man and me. We'll be fine." Olive tapped into the assurance as well, repeating the process with a hug. Rosiepuff had her rounds with them, and they waved as the two trolls extended out their hair to the nearest twig, swinging away in a flash._

 _The sky outside the cage had become dark and gray, something quite ominous for the uncertainty of their situation._

 _ **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

" _Blend in! BLEND IN!"_

 _King Peppy cried out in desperation as he and his wife made their rounds through the many limbs of the Troll tree, the impending thumps of footsteps becoming louder and louder. Screams and cries of distress riddled the air as trolls scrambled for cover from the piercing yellow eyes of their assailants._

 _Branch felt the weight of his grandmother holding him in place, the thick leaves of the flower cloaking them perfectly. Hazel had begun to step forward in a desperate search for her mate, much to Rosiepuff's chagrin._

" _Hazel, get in here! You're no good to him eaten!" Rosiepuff scolded for the millionth time. Branch just watched his mother's frantic expression, her lavender eyes seemingly darker with pure panic._

" _I have to find him, Mom!" She screamed._

" _No, you don't!_ _ **He'll**_ _find_ _ **us!**_ _GET IN HERE."_

 _Branch felt the tickle of her leaf shawl as she slid into the spot beside him, placing a hand on his back and rubbing it gently._

" _Don't worry, baby. Daddy's out there somewhere. He'll find us, I promise." She said, though even at his age, Branch could sense that she was saying it more for herself than for him. They had already lost Olive to the jaws of their most feared enemies, and the loss of her sister had Hazel completely on edge for any sign of her mate._

 _Outside, the panic was still in full swing, and flashes of all colors scrambled and ran all over the place for cover. Amidst the sea of hues, Branch jumped at his mother's sudden gasp of hope. However, Rosiepuff reached across him and clasped a tight hand to her daughter's to muffle her scream, the heavy thud of oncoming footsteps growing ever closer._

 _A peak of midnight sapphire was bobbing amongst the waves of hair, and it soon became attached to the worried face of his father, looking around amidst the foliage to locate them. Hazel squirmed about in desperation, wanting to break away and make her location known to him. One small sound made it past._

" _FORR-!" Hazel began, but was quickly silenced again and she whimpered but ceased to fight against it. However, he small cry had been enough for Forrest's sharp hearing, and the green troll turned in their direction, his eyes narrowing._

 _THUMP. THUMP. THUMP. THUMP._

 _He started forward, his eyes widening with anticipation as he locked in on the direction he needed to travel. The surrounding area had become deadly quiet._

 _THUMP. THUMP. THUMP. THUMP._

 _Hazel pulled Branch a little tighter to herself as they watched Forrest continue to head straight for them._

 _THUMP. THUMP. THUMP._ _ **THUMP.**_

 _In one cacophonous slam, the undeniable feet of a Bergen came into view, just behind him._

" _There you are." A raspy feminine voice bellowed._

 _Then, he stopped. He froze. He did not move an inch closer to where the three of them lay in absolute silence. Watching him. Perfectly hidden._

 _His eyes were wide but awash with a new thought. He said nor mouthed nothing, but he did not need to. Every bone of his body screamed the words without effort. Branch sat completely confused as he felt the open quivers of his mother's body. Shaking with fear._

 _ **I can't let them find you.**_

 _The declaration was there, hanging in the air like a final act of bravery. Amidst it all, his father had chosen to give himself up._

 _In absolute horror, the two women and child watched as the Bergen picked him up in a single snatch, its long, scraggily fingers coiling tightly around his tiny body. He gave a grunt of pain._

" _Perfect little morsel, don't you think? His Highness will be most pleased indeed." The feminine voice said to her cohort. "Alright, boys. Lock it up. We have our fill for this year."_

 _They began to recede back in the direction of which they had come, and Hazel could not take it a moment longer, rushing from their spot in hot pursuit._

" _FORREST!_ _ **FORREST!**_ _" She screeched into the air, her legs striding as long as they would go as she chased after him. "NO!_ _ **NOOOOOOOO!**_ _" Her cries fell on deaf ears, and in an instant they were shut away again. Crumbled….left to pick up the pieces of what the Bergens had once again left behind._

 _All memory from that point onward was a blur of absolute despair, the air heavy with dwindling hope for any sign of a better tomorrow._

 _ **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

 _He tried his best to occupy his time with the toys laid out in front of him, humming to himself quietly as the gentle conversation behind him was in full swing. He had never seen a troll like this before. She wore a white lab coat, her tower of bright green hair adorned with bandages and a stethoscope around her neck. The rest of the pod was quite silent, the light from outside only able to cast a dim glow over the living room and hallway._

" _I've never seen a troll digress so quickly…" The doctor's voice was the usual stiff and professional tone, as if any other kind would ruin the effect they were trying to have on the worrying family. Rosiepuff said nothing in response, just continued to shake her head and frown deeper. The rims of her eyes were glistening with accumulating tears._

 _Branch was somehow able to inch his way past the two of them, his little feet padding along until he was peering into his parent's bedroom. Upon the bed, with her hair neatly spread above her on the pillow and her arms folded gently over her torso, Hazel lay without a sound. Her color was faded, it made him give a small gasp of surprise. The sound alerted his mother to his presence, and slowly she tilted her face to look at him. The ghost of a smile tugged at her lips, and she extended out a hand to him._

 _Slowly, he made his way over to her, his tiny hand slipping into her palm. She gently clasped it, giving another watery smile._

" _Oh, Branch….my sweet, beautiful little boy…." He would never forget the sound of her voice, how hollow and weak it sounded. So devoid of all joy…..yet still full of love for him. He watched her intently, not wanting to break the atmosphere she was creating._

" _Let me tell you something." Her grip on his hand tightened only slightly, but her eyes glanced between his with a new bout of determination. "No matter what happens from now on, I want you to fight back okay? Keep yourself safe from those horrible, nasty Bergens. Don't_ _ **ever**_ _let them get the best of you. You deserve to live in this world, and I know you'll do great things." She kept her eyes steady as tears began to stream down her face. Branch was frozen in his emotions, watching as the color continued to drain from his mother's face and body. Her hand turned dark gray in his grasp, fading down her arm like a virus. Her breathing ragged, her lips pulled back to form the next syllable. "Can you do that for me?"_

 _He blinked away the sting in his own eyes, giving a curt little nod._

" _Yes, Momma." He mumbled. Hazel released a particularly shaky sigh, cupping her hand behind his head to pull him in for a gentle press of her lips to his forehead._

" _Branch…..my sweet little twig…." She whimpered, stroking his hair with a light brush of her fingertips._

 _Tears of his own were beginning to fall, and the inevitable re-entry of his grandmother and the doctor did not faze him in the slightest. The doctor shouted in surprise at Hazel's continual fade into gray, and Branch was rushed from the room in haste to avoid his further witness of the terrifying event._

 _The rain had stopped by the time Rosiepuff emerged again, slowly walking out to the spot he was sitting at on the tree limb. He felt her hand come to rest on his shoulder. He looked up at her, his eyes bloodshot and still sniffling away the remainder of his tears._

" _We have to take care of each other now, Branch." Rosiepuff said solemnly, and he did not need to ask any further on what she meant._

 _It was the first time in his life that he saw his grandma cry, and the two held one another for at least an hour, spending every last ounce of their grief into the puddles below. Mixing and swirling their way into oblivion, the very weight of their situation like a thick wool blanket in the air._

 _There was absolutely nothing left in this world for them but each other. And with any last string of luck, it would stay that way._

 _ **Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

The birds were chirping quite melodiously above them, nestled on the iron bars quite comfortably.

The two trolls sat in silence for a long moment after Branch had finished his entire story of his past, completely spent and having no fortitude whatsoever to look his kin in the eye. He could only imagine what he'd find, and he knew that the moment he locked eyes with her, he would break. Like a fragile string of glass.

"So Great Grandma Rosiepuff…she also…." Willow couldn't get the words out, but Branch's conceding nod was enough to silence any other doubts that she could possibly have. In desperation, he began to ramble.

"Willow...I know…this is a lot to take in. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, but I figured you're old enough now…"

"Daddy?" Her tiny whisper of his title silenced him, and he dared himself to look up at her. She wore a face of complete and utter reverence for him. He felt his heart twist in knots at the emotions it produced. She slipped a hand into his, holding tight as she uttered her next words.

"It's okay." She whispered on absolute certainty. Still fighting back tears, he nodded, squeezing her hand.

He truly was one of the luckiest trolls to ever walk the earth. Nothing could possibly top the fact that despite having told her everything, his daughter had still chosen to face him with love and a beautiful smile. Completely understanding, as if she had many more years under her belt than she truly had. It astounded him. There was absolutely no way he could possibly love her any more than this.

His sight caught glimpse of Poppy's pink form sitting patiently at the nearby picnic setup, her eyes steady on them but cautious of her attentiveness. He offered her a gentle smile, of which she happily returned. He stood up, pulling the Princess with him.

"Why don't you go and keep Mommy company, okay? I'll be there soon." He instructed her, at which she eagerly bobbed her head in agreement and began her trek across the tree limb to her awaiting mother. Halfway there, she stopped and turned about for a moment.

"Hey, Dad?" He looked to his daughter once more, saying nothing but giving his undivided attention to her.

"You forgot something." She announced. He tilted his head slightly in utter confusion.

"What?" He called back.

"When I asked you what else Grandma and Grandpa loved." She further before pausing for a moment, watching him intently for the millionth time that afternoon. "…..you. You forgot to say that they loved you."

He was glad she was more than a few inches away now, so she could barely see the single tear finally escape from the confines of his tear ducts and roll down his cheek in one gently motion. He gave a smile. Such an intuitive child he had brought into the world with Poppy.

"Yeah, that's right, twig. They did." He confirmed. Willow smiled one last time, turning on her heel and skipping the rest of the way over to the Queen, leaving him to his own devices.

Progressively, he inched his way towards the rotting pod, taking in its disheveled appearance and trying to picture what it would have been like had he kept up on it for the past few years. Bashfully, he kicked at the limb beneath his feet while clasping both hands behind his back. He started speaking into the open air.

"Sorry for not coming around for a while, I ended up getting a little busy with some things." He started off with an apology, his mind beginning to grab at anything and everything he could hope to appropriately say to his parents. He had always believed that they could hear him somehow, no matter where he was. He made good on that belief in these moments. His smile flashed bigger for a moment, and he smacked his lips before speaking again.

"I got married. To the Queen, no less. And I…I am so in love with her." He surprised himself at the amount of mush, but decided to sweep it under the rug and move on. "I ended up finding my true colors again. I still live in the bunker occasionally though. Old habits die hard, you know?" He chuckled, feeling as if they would have laughed ironically along with them. He felt the weight of his heart plop into his abdomen, and he turned his head about just enough to peer back at his wife and daughter, who sat on the picnic blanket having a rather lively conversation. He watched her for a moment, her tiny arms being thrown up in emphasis. Her smile was ever-present, and her hair bobbed back and forth. He loved every inch of her, from her tiny little feet to the very curl in the tip of her hair. That beautiful curl….a family trait for females on his side. He couldn't tear his eyes away for a long moment. She was just too pure. Too pure to be his. Regardless, he felt the need to introduce her.

"Also, you…..you have a granddaughter. Her name is Willow. She's…..so beautiful….." He doted, looking back one more time to see her smile particularly big at something Poppy had said to her. He turned back to the pod. "I know you both would love her more than life itself."

The wind began to pick up a bit, whistling through the leaves and causing a stir of cool temperature across his skin. Goosebumps responded, and he hugged himself tightly to combat it. There was one more thing that he needed to shove off of his conscience…..something that had been sitting on his chest ever since he lost Grandma Rosiepuff. He had saved it for this exact moment, this very spot where it has been the last time he had all four of them together with him.

"I hope I'm good enough for both of you….for what you gave up for me." He mumbled. The next assumption felt like a hard lump in his throat, and he forcefully choked it out. "I hope I'm a good son."

It was at this moment that he decided to wrap up his little one-on-one with his parents, feeling a bit on the hungry side. He looked to the pod one more time.

"I promise I won't take so long to visit again. Plus, I think I'll have a companion with me from now on." He assured the house, doing yet another turnaround to his little child.

As he walked away from it, he felt a sense of peace. A sense of closure, as if finally facing his past was enough to set him completely free. The air felt lighter, more crisp. The sunshine brighter. And the life in his body teemed vibrantly as it never had before.

"Hi Daddy! Wanna sandwich?" The Princess asked as he approached the blanket. He chuckled.

"In a minute, twig." He assured her as Poppy rose to her feet. She wasted no time in slipping her hands around his waist and pulling him against her. The look in her eyes was enough for him to not have to explain anything.

"You know I'm here for you, right?" She whispered, glancing between his blue eyes.

"Of course, I do." He replied, giving a genuine smile as he kissed her soundly.

"Yuck!"

Poppy laughed through her nose, her sweet smell of flowers and vanilla tickling his upper lip and cheeks. He smiled against her mouth, not pulling away for even a second. Instead, he grabbed her by the waist and dipped her backwards with a bend of both their backs. He kissed her even deeper, and the two laughed as their daughter continued to voice her disgust.

"Ewh! Stop it, you guys! I'm gonna throw up!" She declared. Finally, Branch set them both back upright and pulled away. They exchanged another laugh.

"Alright, twig. You win." He admitted defeat, taking up a spot on the blanket to partake in their spoils for lunch.

He finally had his family back, past and present. That's all that would ever truly matter.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Okey dokey! I hope that wasn't too heartbreaking for you all! I may or may not include more of this concept in a future story, though I will not specify what story that's for.**

 **As always, thank you for reading and I hope you all have a wonderful morning/afternoon/evening/night!**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Heartforhumamity845**


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